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The
battle begins in Sestriere.
Fritz Strobl clocks fastest training
time ahead of Stephan Eberharter.
Sestriere, March 9th - The first mens
down hill training run training run
Tuesday was an education for most
of the top skiers who have not been
on the Sestriere slope since the world
championships here seven years ago.
Austrian Fritz Strobl posted the fastest
time followed by teammate Stephan
Eberharter and Kristian Ghedina of
Italy. However, overall World Cup
leader Hermann Maier said that one
run was not enough to get to know
the course.
"It is difficult when you don't
know the course and have no experience
of it and you have just one run,"
said Maier after a cautious training
run in sunny and cold conditions.
"It is going to be tough to do
well on Wednesday. The difference
is that when I go to somewhere like
Beaver Creek (Colorado) I don't even
need to inspect the course because
I know what is coming," added
Maier who missed out on
the world championships at Sestriere
in 1997 due to injury.
"Those who were here in 1997
or later on in Europa Cup definitely
have an advantage," he went on
to say, "I have no memory of
this course and so it will be hard
to get the same flow. It is the only
downhill I have never raced and it
is a difficult task when you don't
remember where the gates are,"
said
Maier.
In what is shaping up to be one of
the closest finish for several years,
Maier leads American Bode Miller by
just 67 points with defending champion
Eberharter and fellow Austrian Benjamin
Raich rounding out the top four.
Maier has achieved more than he dreamed
this season winning his fifth Super-G
World Cup and should be focussing
on Thursday event as well as the giant
slalom Saturday to win a remarkable
fourth overall title in his career
and complete his impressive comeback
from a motorcycle accident in 2001.
Maier is cautious about his chances
in spite of his status as the favourite:
"I still don't consider myself
to be the favourite," he said.
"A victory would be sensational,"
he added.
Eberharter is confident
Eberharter, who has already won
this season's downhill title, has
raced here before in the Europa Cup
in 1997 and is confident as five days
of intense competition get underway.
"I remember the course and it
is a good one for real downhillers,
with all the gliding, the bumps and
roll-overs. You have to work out there,"
he said. "I am relaxed and happy
and while I want the title I know
that if you start to force things
then it doesn't work out well. I'll
leave it to others to count the points
up but I am just going to give my
best," said Eberharter, who confirmed
he will not race in slalom on Sunday
what ever are his chances.
Bode Miller has a stiff challenge
to win it all. He needs to collect
top five positions in the speed events
if he is to surpass Maier's lead and
he conceded the destiny of the title
is in Maiers hands. "It is a
challenging course and I didn't try
too hard today. If Hermann has a good
week it will be very tough for me,
but I'm still positive and focused
on doing my best," he said.
Raich said he would be happy just
to pick up any points at all in
downhill as he focuses on the technical
disciplines. "It is going to
be difficult for me to make a top
15 slot and pick up points because
I don't have the experience yet as
the other guys do in downhill. But
I feel relaxed and if I get points
great, if not it is good training
for Super-G. Hundred points is a lot
for me to make up but I really have
nothing to lose," he added. Also
a strong favourite on Wednesday is
France's Antoine Deneriaz, third in
Kvitfjell last week. A year ago he
won the last downhill race at the
World Cup Finals
ahead of Eberharter in Lillehammer.
E.M.
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